News about the Economy & Employment

At the election in September voters will face a choice between a government led by Andrew Little with a fresh approach to give every New Zealander a fair share in prosperity or the continuation of a tired government, out of touch and stuck in the past.

A choice between fairness and inclusion or deepening inequality and division.

Labour will implement sensible changes to employment law to prevent the small number of bad employers undercutting good employers and driving a ‘race to the bottom’ on wages and conditions, says Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little.

New footage of the Pike River Mine deep inside the operation, revealing no fire damage or signs of an inferno, provides a compelling reason to grant the families of Pike River’s victims their wish to re-enter the drift, says Labour Leader Andrew Little.

“Families of the victims, and the whole country, has been told that there was simply no chance anything would have survived the ferocious inferno that followed the blasts.

Thanks to the Otago Southland Employers Association and Virginia for hosting me this evening. It is always a pleasure to come back to the city and region that shaped who I am as a person.

I believe that growing up in Dunedin I got to experience New Zealand at its best. I am not saying that everything was perfect. The 1980s were actually tough going for a lot of people in our community. I can still remember the day that the Burnside Freezing Works Abbatoir closed. The next day at school there were kids talking about how their Dad was out of a job and did not know if there was another job around.

The threatened closure of Silver Fern Farms’ Fairton Plant in Ashburton raises serious questions about the Government’s support of the sale of half of the company to a foreign company, when it appears this outcome may have been inevitable, says Labour’s Regional Development spokesperson Stuart Nash.

“At the time of the sale in September last year, the decision-making Ministers Louise Upston and Paula Bennett said they were ‘satisfied that the purchase would create substantial and identifiable benefit for New Zealand’.

Beneficiaries, superannuitants and people on the lowest incomes continue to bear the brunt of higher inflation, according to the latest data from Statistics NZ, says Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“Since National came to office (December 2008) inflation for those on the lowest 20 per cent of incomes has increased by 17 per cent. But for those with the highest 20 per cent of incomes, it has increased by only 10 per cent.

Too many Kiwis are being left behind due to stagnant wages in the face of rising inflation, according to the latest employment figures released today, says Labour’s Employment spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“While it is always good to see the total rate of unemployment come down, looking beyond the rosy headline figure reveals deeper concerns that should worry New Zealanders.